As we come to the mid-point in our school year we grow ever more excited about the growth we are experience and plan to see in our near future.

***OPEN ENROLLMENT 2013-2014***

TCGIS continues taking new applications for the 2013-2014 school year. Again, if you are planning to enroll a kindergartener, please fill out an application form as soon as possible so we may save a seat for your incoming son or daughter. You can find the application here and bring it into Molly at the front desk. Your timely efforts to do this help TCGIS plan our recruitment goals. Also, please spread the word about our school and our new home.

Parent Portal and Semester grades

This past semester, parents of middle school students could access student grades using the PowerSchool parent portal. Once logged in, parents click on "Grades and Attendance" to see the grade a student is earning in each class. In order to see a list of all assignments in each class, parents click on the blue highlighted link at the top of the page that says, "Click here to see a list of all your student's past assignments".

Teachers are now preparing grades for the end of semester. To allow them adequate time for entering comments, we are closing PowerSchool parent portal starting today, Thursday, January 17th. PowerSchool parent portal will re-open Wednesday, January 23rd.

Elementary PowerSchool Parent Portal Opening!

On Wednesday, January 30th, TCGIS is opening the PowerSchool parent portal for elementary students. The goal is to provide real time feedback to parents on student progress as measured by standards. More information will be coming to you next week.

Welcome Jane Hall-Dayle

TCGIS is excited to welcome Jane Hall-Dayle as our new half time Assistant Director and half time Special Education teacher. Jane comes to us with charter school experience, administration experience, special education experience and legal experience. We feel very lucky to have her.

Grading Day and Martin Luther King Day

Friday, January 18ththere is no school as teachers are preparing semester grades. Monday, January 21st is Martin Luther King Holiday. Please plan accordingly.

We are all excited in this time of new beginnings and future dreams for TCGIS and thank you all for your part in our wonderful community!

As you know, the Board approved entering into a long-term lease for the Como/Van Slyke site location on December 20th of last month. Since then, there has been a lot of work related to financing and logistics, and there will continue to be a lot of work until the move is complete.

We are partnering with a number of experienced professionals to ensure that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. Obviously, there will always be bumps in the road, but we have confidence in our partners.

The architect working on the project is Deb Rathman from Rivera Architects. She has many years of experience with both public and charter schools. She has been working with the facilities committee for over a year, touring potential sites and providing feedback. She has recently interviewed all of the teachers to obtain their ideas and priorities.

On Wed, January 30th at 6:30 pm she will give a presentation to the TCGIS community about the potential design and look of the new school. This is not a final presentation. Rather, this is the first presentation of preliminary design ideas in order to obtain feedback from the TCGIS community. Based on this feedback, the designs you see on January 30th will change. A final public presentation will occur on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. If you are unable to attend either presentation or your questions/comments are not answered, there will be other opportunities to provide your feedback.

Get a start on that New Year's resolution and register for a language class at the Germanic-American Institute today! We offer all levels of German, from absolute beginner to C1 fluency. Plus, there's a discount if you register by January 21st! Registration is available online atwww.gai-mn.org/classesor by calling Language Services at651.222.2979.

Spring Adult Classes

G100: Mondays, 2/4-6/17

G100 accelerated: Thursdays, 2/7-6/13

G200: Tuesdays, 2/5-6/11

G200: Wednesdays, 2/6-6/12

G300: Mondays, 2/4-6/17

G400: Thursdays, 2/7-6/13

G500: Tuesdays, 2/5-6/11

G600: Wednesdays, 2/6-6/12

AMR: Wednesdays, 2/20-5/15

C-1 Oberkurs: Mondays, 2/25-5/20

After School pick-up Deadline is 3:30 on regular days, 1:00 on early release days

This is a friendly reminder to parents that we require all students to be picked up or placed in Kinderclub by 3:30 in the afternoon on regular release days, and by 1:00 on early dismissal days. Teachers and office staff are no longer responsible for students after this time, and a you will be charged a late pick up fine if you fail to pick up your child on time. If you feel that you may be late sometimes, it is best to sign up for kinderclub, so that on those occasions your child can be supervised by the after school staff there. You must be signed up for Kinderclub in advance to exercise this option. Thanks for working with us to ensure a safe and happy environment for your children before and after school.

TCGIS Wins Eco Award

We are proud to announce that we have recently received the honor of becoming an Eco School by obtaining the Bronze Award for energy efficiency. The "Green Team" consisting of parents and students at TCGIS in conjunction with the Kinderclub after-school care program and a group of students from the University of Minnesota performed an audit of the school's energy use. They discovered how much energy and electricity we were using and found ways to drastically cut down those numbers to help protect the environment.

TCGIS is committed to environmental education and informing our youth that lowering our carbon footprint and consuming less energy are important and viable options for the future. By becoming an Eco School, TCGIS hopes to raise community awareness of the importance energy has on our daily lives. By making small changes in our routines at work, school and home, together we can make a big difference.

With strong focuses in science and math, our curriculum works to include lessons about energy and the environment with hands-on activities and projects. By getting kids to participate they are becoming naturally more aware of their surroundings and are active promoters of energy efficiency.

The Twin Cities German Immersion School welcomes any feedback, comments or questions about our newly started program as we look to continue to grow as an Eco School.

Together, we can make a difference.

Maskenball Online Auction Donations

We are still collecting donations for the Maskenball Online Auction until Friday, February 1st.These can be items or services that you yourself offer, from businesses you frequent, or from family and friends. Please fill out the Donor Info Form and Receipt and return it with your donation. Contact Kami Blackwell Kinney (blackwell.kinney@juno.com) with questions.

Great GatheringsSome of our most successful auction items are the Great Gatherings provided by TCGIS families. Last year's offerings included a wide range of great activities for kids, adults, and families alike. If you are interested in hosting a Great Gathering, fill out this submission form. Contact Kelly Huxmann with questions.

Maskenball Wine Pull

At this year's event, we are trying a wine pull, instead of the wine raffle. In a wine pull, everyone is a winner. It is very easy to play. You just pay $10 and pull the bottle you want from the pile. The one hitch is that the bottle will be wrapped up, so you may get a lovely more elegant wine or a wonderful table wine.

So head to your wine cellar or favorite liquor store, and donate a bottle (or more) for this fun part of Maskenball. If you are a household that does without wine, consider asking a friend, neighbor, or family member if they would consider donating a bottle to help benefit TCGIS. This is a quick and easy way to help. Wine can be dropped off at the front desk. Please plan on having your wine donation in by February 14th.

Carnival of Cultures 2013

Cafe International

When: Feb. 7 (THU) at 6:00 pm Where: the O'Shaughnessy Education Center Auditorium (University of St. Thomas)No cultural tradition exists in isolation. We are constantly collaborating with one another. We share and receive influence from our neighbors. This holds true more. It constantly collaborates with other traditions: it learns from others and gives impulses to others. It is even more true in our global world. The Cafe International will showcase not only the cultural variety of our world, but also its networking. Our special guests this yearSPIELMANNSZUG MN!

Fourth Graders Read to Feed

Help them raise money for Heifer International

The Fourth Grade English class is participating in the second annual Read to Feed program and we'd like to invite you to help us! Read to Feed is a program of Heifer International that encourages children to be a part of Heifer's mission to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. Last year our fourth graders raised over $2500!!

Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in 40 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities, become more self-reliant.

The Read to Feed program encourages reading skills while teaching students how they can empower families around the world with the gift of livestock. Children are recruiting sponsors for their reading goals from January 7th to March 2nd. At the end of the program, the fourth graders will pool, calculate, and donate the funds to Heifer International to assist families around the world.

If you wish to help us in our efforts, please visit our "Team" page to donate with a credit card or leave a check with Molly at the front desk! Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students and the lives of countless others!!

The Elternbrief is published electronically Thursdays throughout the school-year and on an as-needed basis at other times. Submissions are due by 3 PM on Tuesdays. Content printed at the discretion of the TCGIS administration.